


Different

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Community: onceuponaland, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-31
Updated: 2012-10-31
Packaged: 2017-11-17 11:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/550832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She never expected to fall in love like this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Different

**Author's Note:**

> Date Written: 29 October 2012  
> Word Count: 511  
> Written for: [](http://onceuponaland.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://onceuponaland.livejournal.com/)**onceuponaland** 's Round 3 Bingo challenge  
> Prompt: Regina/Daniel - unexpected  
> Summary: She never expected to fall in love like this.  
> Spoilers: Specifically for ep 01x18 "The Stable Boy", but the whole 1st season is up for grabs  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Series: Possible part of the "Redemption of a Heart" series  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: <http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/>  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Jane Espenson is a goddess for having her random writing sprints on Twitter. This got written during one. Woot!
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as always…
> 
> Beta: Not beta'd, so all mistakes are entirely my fault. Point 'em out in _constructive_ criticism and I'll fix 'em.

She never expected to fall in love like this. It was supposed to be different. It was supposed to be epic. It was supposed to be… Everything she'd ever dreamed of, straight out of the fairytales Daddy read to her every night before bed when she was a little girl. But it wasn't.

No, it was, but it was different. It was supposed to be a handsome prince that found her and fell madly in love with her. In all of her girlish dreams, he had light brown hair and the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. It was like they were magically lit from within. He would whisk her off to his kingdom and romance her with grand gestures that would please her mother, but make her blush with the grandiosity of it all. And it would culminate in a wedding that would be remembered for all time.

And yet, here she was with nothing like that. Well, he _did_ have the light brown hair and those gorgeously bright blue eyes that she could always feel on her whenever he was near. And he was so handsome; sometimes she thought he was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen, even more so than her fantasy princes. And he was real!

But he was a simple stable boy. Certainly not the kind of man her mother would allow her to marry, not that she let that stop her from watching him with innocent longing. She found excuses to spend more time in the stables with Dark Secret, which enabled her to spend more time with him. She began taking lessons from him at Daddy's insistence, despite her mother's desire for that not to happen. All it took was Daddy reminding her mother that every skill she could learn to make herself invaluable to a king was worth the time and effort.

It took time before she realized that he felt the same way she did. She had assumed he only paid extra special attention to Dark Secret because he wanted to make sure to please her, which would please her parents and keep him employed. It wasn't until she began to find flowers in her stallion's stall -- her favorite wildflowers -- that she realized he wasn't just trying to impress her parents. From that point on, she did her best to bring him special treats from the kitchen, things he wouldn't normally get as a lowly stable boy. She even worked painstakingly to embroider a scarf for him, knowing he wore them all the time.

It was never supposed to be what it was, and yet it was everything she wanted it to be. The first time he kissed her, she thought her heart might explode in her chest, but she kissed him back eagerly. She vowed that she would keep this a secret from her parents, especially her mother. He was the only thing in her life that she could truly say was hers, not including her stallion. She didn't want to ruin this shot at perfection in any way.


End file.
